GLASGOW, Scotland: Rangers beat a coronavirus-depleted Celtic side 2-0 at Celtic Park on Saturday to move four points clear of their bitter rivals at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Two goals from Connor Goldson proved enough for Steven Gerrard’s men, who are desperate to stop their bitter rivals winning a record-breaking 10th consecutive title.
In the first Old Firm derby without fans, Goldson headed in James Tavernier’s free-kick in the ninth minute and tapped in from close range in the second half as Rangers recorded back-to-back wins at Celtic Park for the first time since 1995.
It was a first domestic defeat since the last clash between the Glasgow giants in December for Neil Lennon’s men, who have a game in hand over Rangers with a long title fight still to come.
Celtic were without star striker Odsonne Edouard, Nir Bitton and Hatem Elhamed due to Covid infections, while Ryan Christie missed out as he was forced to self-isolate for being a close contact of Southampton’s Stuart Armstrong, who also tested positive, while on international duty with Scotland.
But Gerrard said that took nothing away from a dominant performance by his side.
“We’ve put in a really controlled, professional performance,” Gerrard told Sky Sports. “I don’t think we were at our fluent best but we’ve come here and controlled the game with and without the ball.”
“We could maybe have scored more,” he added. “There will be no getting carried away. We need to remain humble.”
Rangers got the start they wanted when Goldson escaped his markers from Tavernier’s searching free-kick and flashed a header past goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas.
Mohamed Elyounoussi wasted a good chance to level for Celtic but the hosts failed to manage a shot on target for the first time since 2009 in a league match.
Lennon pointed to his lack of options with James Forrest also out injured, while Albian Ajeti and Leigh Griffiths were not match fit.
“We had Ajeti not fully fit, Griffiths not fully fit, Edouard out,” said Lennon. “That’s three mainline strikers not able to start.
“But I felt we created good enough chances first half to score. Rangers defended their box pretty well today and that was the difference in terms of the psychology of the goals.
“We were pretty decimated with the Covid and the injuries but I felt we had a strong enough team out.”
Earlier, the Scottish league said it would investigate after St. Mirren’s latest positive virus test led to the postponement of their clash with Motherwell.
Two players had already tested positive earlier this week, with a third forced into self-isolation.
A further positive test saw more players instructed to go into self-isolation and the club told the Scottish Professional Football League that they could not fulfil their Premiership fixture.
Rangers cruise past depleted Celtic to move clear at top of Scottish Premiership
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Rangers cruise past depleted Celtic to move clear at top of Scottish Premiership
- Celtic were without star striker Odsonne Edouard, Nir Bitton and Hatem Elhamed due to Covid infections, while Ryan Christie missed out as he was forced to self-isolate
Emirati driver Amna Al-Qubaisi set for historic Porsche Carrera Cup Asia debut
- The 25-year-old will become the first female driver to compete in the pro class of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia when the season begins at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend
DUBAI: When the UAE’s Amna Al-Qubaisi lines up on the grid at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend, she will once again make motorsport history.
The 25-year-old will become the first female driver to compete in the pro class of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia when the season begins at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend, from March 13 to 15.
Al-Qubaisi will join a highly competitive 30-driver grid from across Asia and beyond in one of the region’s leading GT racing championships.
The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia features drivers competing in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, placing a strong emphasis on driver skill, precision and consistency throughout the season.
For Al-Qubaisi, the milestone represents another step forward in a career that has already seen her break barriers for Emirati and Arab drivers in international motorsport.
“The competition is incredibly strong, which makes it even more exciting,” Al-Qubaisi told Arab News ahead of the race weekend.
“My approach is to stay focused on my own development, work closely with my team, and maximize every session.
“It’s my first time competing in this car and on tracks I’ve never been to before. In a field like this, every small improvement makes a difference, so consistency, preparation and learning quickly are key.”
The Shanghai race weekend will also mark Al-Qubaisi’s first experience racing at the circuit, where Porsche Carrera Cup Asia runs as a support race to the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix.
The Emirati driver has had limited time to prepare. “I wasn’t able to go back to the country and do simulator work, so I manually watched onboard footage and made notes of the circuit.
“It’ll be my first time racing in Shanghai and we’re the support race with Formula One, so I’m really looking forward to learning and enjoying the weekend.”
One of the biggest challenges this season will be adapting to the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, which demands a different driving style compared with the machinery Al-Qubaisi raced earlier in her career.
“The biggest challenge for me is getting used to the car,” she explained.
“I’m very used to single-seaters and prototypes, so moving into a heavier car with less downforce means the driving style is very different. It’s all about adapting and trying to make the most out of the car.”
Al-Qubaisi has been a pioneer for women in motorsport in the region since the early stages of her racing journey.
In 2019, she became the first Arab woman to win a single-seater race, claiming victory in the Formula 4 UAE Trophy round at Yas Marina Circuit during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.
She later competed in the Italian Formula 4 Championship, Formula Regional Asian Championship, and F1 Academy, where she secured two race wins in 2023 and finished sixth in the overall standings.
More recently, Al-Qubaisi began transitioning toward sportscar and endurance racing. In 2025, she competed in the Ligier European Series with Group Virage alongside her sister Hamda Al-Qubaisi, where the pair secured three podium finishes during their rookie season.
Her move into Porsche Carrera Cup Asia follows her selection into the Porsche Talent Pool Asia, where she became the first Arab, and Arab female driver, to join the development program.
The championship calendar will take drivers across several of Asia’s most iconic circuits, including Fuji Speedway, Sepang International Circuit, the Bangsaen street circuit in Thailand and Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit.
While each venue presents a unique challenge, one track in particular stands out for Al-Qubaisi. “It’s hard to pick just one because they’re all incredible circuits,” she said.
“Fuji and Sepang are legendary tracks with a lot of history, but Singapore is definitely very exciting because racing on a street circuit is always unique. The atmosphere there is amazing. I raced there in F1 Academy back in 2024 so I’m really looking forward to experiencing that.”
For now, however, Al-Qubaisi’s focus is firmly on Shanghai as she prepares for the opening race of the season. “This weekend is about learning and enjoying the experience,” she said.
“The focus is to keep improving every session and build confidence with the car.”
